Mycelin
This is one of my dearest projects. With no prior knowledge, I started exploring this complex and intriguing mycology field and learned step-by-step how to grow mushrooms. It was a long trial and error process, but I have to admit that it was totally worth it, and I have learned a lot during this time.
Mycelium is the so-called root structure of the mushroom and has gotten much attention lately because it is versatile and regenerative. Various startups worldwide are using mycelium to develop, among others, compostable alternatives to foam packages, alternative building materials, fungi leather, and even highly nutritious proteins and alternatives to bacon. All that's needed is a tiny piece of clean mycelium that can be further cloned. Fascinating, right? That’s exactly what attracted my curiosity, and I wanted to learn more about mycelium and experiment with it at home.
This passion project started in my dressing room, where I improvised a growing chamber for the mycelium during the pandemic. Two years later, my work with regenerative mycelium materials was showcased by EY Doberman at various exhibitions and events in 2023:
"Now or Never – 1kg CO2e"
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Stockholm Furniture Fair and Form/Design Center in Malmö
"Reshaping Food"
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Dutch Design Week
"Future Window"
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Cannes Lions, Katapult Future Fest in Oslo, and Way Out West festival in Gothenburg, etc.
The simplified process of mushroom growing.
Phoenix Oyster mycelium growing on sterilized oats. Five-day time lapse.
The first step of this journey was to order a couple of syringes with liquid mycelium and then started by expanding the liquid culture in upcycled jars. After a few weeks, I transferred 2 ml of the liquid culture to sterilized oat berries, which I mixed with some leftover coffee grounds. It took about two weeks until the mycelium colonized the oats and was ready to be transferred on a pasteurized substrate made out of sawdust and used-up coffee grounds. After approximately two more weeks (depending on the type of mycelium, it could take way longer), the mushrooms are ready to harvest.
Pleurotus, Phoenix Oyster, grown at home.
A 500g Lion's Mane mushroom that I grew on the balcony.
Lion's Mane that grew in the garden from a buried mycelium block.
Regenerative Design & Biofabrication
Over a span of four weeks, I embarked on another experiment and grew my kitchen lamp, utilizing Reishi mycelium and repurposing the leftover sawdust from the kitchen's construction. This process involved nurturing the mycelium to grow and bind with the sawdust, creating a strong, regenerative material. As the mycelium developed, it transformed the sawdust into a solid form, gradually taking the shape of the mold. This experiment not only recycled waste materials but also explored the potential of fungi as a renewable resource for home furnishings. The result is a unique, biodegradable kitchen lamp embodying functionality and environmental consciousness.
My takeaway from this project
Diving into a complex and fascinating field like mycology was a bit scary initially, but after watching many YouTube tutorials and reading a couple of books, I finally got the courage to start navigating the unknown. It was a journey with plenty of ups and downs. Working with microorganisms requires a very clean and sterile environment as the mycelium is vulnerable to contamination with mold or yeast spores that generally float around in the room in its early growth stages. I have had some issues due to contamination, temperature fluctuations, and inadequate moisture or oxygen content in the air. In the end, I managed to refine the method and adapt it along the way until it started showing the desired results.